The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-07-14

terry rs Are the Ingredients OF the
DelIcacy He Dispenscs-Extent Of His
Trade.
When day merges into night the fakirs Of
day, as il they were a race Of epheinera, dis
appear or are metamorphosed and an en-
tirely new set OF characters are found scat
tered along the streets down town. They
come out when tue electric lights begin to
buzz and sputter just like the swnrms OF In.
sects which besiege the white globes and fall
to the sidewalk, where they craclie under
the feet of the pedestrian Conspicuous
among these people of the night is the wiener
wurst man. He is invariably German, and
as much q mystery as are the ingredients Of
the delicacy he dispenses. He is at times a
stationary institution, though more often
pcripatetic, for he cannot long occupy any
corner without attracting rivals TO his place
to destroy his business. The traveller 10y night
runs across him i'll oil kinds of dark places,
tramping through dark alleys with the light
under his can flashing OH the stones or tue
walls on either side.
Then, again, he is found posted at u corner
with bis steaniing can upon his big basket
md ever and anon giving vent to lugu-
Erious cry, Hot veeny," or perhaps he'll
vary it by rasping out, Hot veeny verr-r-r-
rst," with u sound as though he was tearing
the shirt off his back or running his hand
down tho NOV able Stats of q window shutter.
lie answers indferently to the name
''Chorgh' or "Owgoost." or anything else
bestowed upon him by his customers In their
humor, and he'll say in reply to question as
to his price, "one,' or maybe "two fr-r-r
nisgle." When the lucer is forthcoming lie
opens his can with his knife, dips his fork
down through cloud Of steam and draws
/ forth the ruddy and odorous sausage red hot.
Then he shuts the can, prizes open the lid Of
his big oval basket and whips out two slices
Of bread and square bottle. With his knife
| he spreads out sone horserRdish on ono Of the
| slices, deposits thereon tho wurst and then
slaps on top of it the other slice Of bread and
hands it over, kind of o sandwich, with the
ends Of tho wurst sticking ous like amputated
fingers and tho horseradish oozing out oil
around under the pressure. II 10 eaten just
like sandwich, with much spluttering. BE-
cause it il very hot, but it is . delicious NOR.
sci to the man who is filed up vita beer or
something stronger.
HIS STOCK FOR TUE NIGHT.
| He sells, perhaps, 100 in night, providing
viz 1:s2odlums cont kick over his can o. steal
it from him, or fill it up with beer or play
I some other pranks upon him. Where hs OBJ
tains his wurst no one knows His stock fol
anight costs him maybe ten or fifteen cents
and his sales when businsss is good may net
him 81. When sold out, he just turns of the
little jet Of gasoline burning under his can
thrusts his arm through the basket handle and
boards an owl car with one wurst US a kind oi
Offering to the driver in lieu OF his fare DC
casionaly the gasoline tank on his can ex
plodes and he loses all his stock, but dollar
or SO will fit him out again all right. His if,
is not o happy oner for his customers are
| mostly gay young men who are 'out for &
tinie," and they guy him or take his goods ant
refuse to pay, or otherwise treat him badly
lie is uncomplaining, however, and hs
chcrisheS no i'll will toward those who pestel
| him.
But ono thing ruffles his temper, and that i
to speak disparaginsly of his wurst. When {
purchaser, holding out q nickel, remarks
"Gimme some dog" . shade Of sadness passe
over his face. When he has q rush he car
turn out the wursts US rapidly as a cook flip
pancakes, and his face is perfect picture O
enjoyment as he watches q crowd aroune
burying their faces in their wursts and roll
ing the hot morses in their mouths to Pre-
vent their being burnt lie pays tribute I,
the policeman on his beat and to the variou
night barkeepers. From the former "
receives protection when he don't particular,
need it, for the policeman isn't around whel
the gang bothers him. From the barkeepe
he receives a glass of beer in exchange for
wurst, and in winter is allowed to warm him
self at the stove He makes his rounds tw
ard three times in o night, and can he hear
calling out his wurst in the darkness wher
he can't he seen. Ho Is never visible in tn
day time; he sleeps until night, and then he
out with his can and his basket, and his or.
@Hot veeny" or "Veeny yer-r-r-rst "-Globe
Democrat